I've spent the last two weeks running back and forth between my place and the parent's house as they both, along with Dustin, took a two week vacation to Japan to tour as well as see my Grandmother who lives over there in Tokyo. From what I've gathered in the past couple days (they got back Thursday evening) they had a great time, and got to experience a lot of fun things. My dad finally saw Mt. Fuji (it took 6 trips before they could see it), and Dustin thought that they saw the next Amazing Race filming going on at one of the locations they were at. He and my dad couldn't think of anything else that required teams of two to be followed everywhere by a camera-man while they frantically ran around a park and rowed in canoes out to a little island in the middle of a large pond.I never watch it, so I wouldn't have any idea if it shows up in the future...but if they have an episode based out of Japan in the future, my family saw it happening for real.

Great job, Michael! If we work backwards 13 days from Nov. 22 we get Nov. 9. Now we know that AR14 arrived in Romania for Nov. 5/6/7. They could in theory have gotten to Japan on Nov. 8 late or the morning of Nov. 9. However, doing that would cut out a huge portion of Asia from legs 5, 6 and 7, so I do not think it's likely. I think that Amazing Race Israel is much more likely.

Today @ 9:56 pm Just read this little news snippet in one of Sydney's paper, I couldn't find it online:

Quote

Manly on Amazing Map

The adrenalin was pumping in Manly last weekend and that wasn't just about securing a parking spot near the beach.

Seven's hit series The Amazing Race - where Americans team up to scour the world for clues and get back to base first - was being filmed in Manly last Sunday.

So just for an hour or so there was a sudden stampede of earnest, sweaty, tired types with backpacks clambering on the sand. The clue was beneath a towel of a sunbathing woman. So, now, Manly is well and truly on the map.

Amazing Race pitstops in SydneyBy David Knox on November 23, 2008 Filed Under News The Amazing Race swept through Sydney last week, shooting episodes of its 14th season.

One reader tells TV Tonight, “I was in Sydney this weekend and they were filming new Amazing Race. They were at the Opera House. Two teams came up running with camera crews -I was so excited! I think they were after Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. I wanted to follow, them I love the show!”

According to news.com.au it was also in Manly: ….for an hour or so there was a sudden stampede of earnest, sweaty, tired types with backpacks clambering on the sand.

It’s not the first time TAR has visited Sydney, previously visiting the Harbour Bridge and Harry’s Cafe de Wheels. It’s also raced through Brissy, Perth, Adelaide, Cairn, Coober Pedy and Darwin.

Of the 14th season, Keoghan has said, “It’s incredible. It’s amazing, quite frankly. We’ll be heading out for the 14th time to go around the world. We keep having this opportunity and for me, it’s the best job I’ve ever had and I love it. And thankfully the viewers love it and it’s always nice to be employed and when you get employed. You get to go around the world and shoot great adventures with people and with an audience, there’s nothing more exciting than that.”

I can confirm that the Amazing Race does visit Manly, in Sydney Australia. I was at Manly beach a couple weekends ago, getting some sun... and all of a sudden two sweaty guys with backpacks & 2 support crew (Camera man & Sound guy) ran down the beach towards where I was.

They both proceeded to get a clue envelope ( 90% sure I heard them say 'Detour' ) from a girl in an Aussie Flag bikini, sitting on an Aussie flag towel who was less and 3 meters from where I was.The envelope directed them to nearby 'Shelly Beach' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelly_Beach_(Manly), as they were yelling to people for directions. At Shelly beach there is Scuba diving facilities & you can go abseiling on the nearby cliffs. I assume these may be the activities they'll need to accomplish there.

As a fan of the show, seeing this was fantastic. I can't wait until S14 airs now

Wednesday, November 19, 2008Have a go at this... Whew, been trying to write this post for a few days now, just busy busy busy.

So, I had the day off on Sunday and thought to myself, what better to do than go scuba diving. And off I went. Now, the diving itself was nothing utterly fantastic, visibility was crap so there wasn't a whole lot to see. It was still fun though.

What made the day VERY interesting was that the beach we were diving at, Shelly Beach in Manly, had an event happening on it. I was completely oblivious to what was happening and I'll explain why later. Anyhow, they were filming, get this, The Amazing Race on the beach. It looked like they were either doing a Detour or a Roadblock. Teams had to paddle a Surf Rescue board into the ocean and around a buoy.

While we were there, like I said, I had no idea. I though they were filming some local TV show for the Surf Rescue boys. Surf Rescue flags are also red and gold, which match the Amazing Race flags, so like I said, I was oblivious until someone actually told me that is what they were filming.

So, next season, when the teams travel to Sydney and head for Shelly Beach in Manly odds are that one of the scuba divers in the water will be me! Posted by Ryan Johnson at 11:18 AM